Instant Family

This review may contain spoilers!

This film feels less like the comedy it was marketed to be and more like a government-funded ad about the American adoption system. I would give Instant Family a 3/10.

Instant Family follows Pete and Ellie who desire to start a family of their own and venture into the adoption system, bringing Lizzy, Juan and Lita into their family. From there the story follows the trials and tribulations of becoming a family while also shining a light on the moments of joy too. This film is strongest when it depicts some of the intense dramatic moments some of these characters experience; Lizzy and Ellie bonding over the hairbrush or the final moment in which Pete and Ellie's testimony is read aloud marks some of the truly heartfelt moments in the feature.

Mark Wahlberg, who played Pete, makes for a great leading role who is very open about his insecurities around being a father; Wahlberg shows a lot of heart and compassion in all the right places for this role. Rose Byrne, who played Ellie, wears the stress of her character rather well; this is a role who feels like she has to take the full brunt of responsibility while desperately craving the love of her children. Isabela Moner, who played Lizzy, has this really tough streak that makes her perpetually disconnected from her new family; Moner is incredible at showing her character's small moments of vulnerability and growing connection with her new Mum and Dad. Julianna Gamiz, who played Lita, is a really charming young performer who steals the show constantly; Gamiz manages to her employ a rather innocent outlook of the world to generate some fun humour. Valente Rodriguez, who played Judge Rivas, was this very kind, genuine figure who really made the third act a little brighter; the way he presented and controlled the family court scenes was very sweet and well-handled.

However, the best performance came from Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro, who played Karen and Sharon respectively. These two have some very strong chemistry with one another onscreen and can play rather contrasting characters well. Throughout Spencer is the more spirited, informal adoption agency worker; her humour is constantly coming and it's a very side-splitting character. Notaro plays her role in a very grounded way, which has the effect of her comedy come across rather straight and deliberate. The pair really just know when to land the cues just right or exactly how to play off one another. Yet what I really admired was how they could set that ability to the side and bring a scene to a very dramatic and serious focus in an emotionally powerful way.

This film was marketed and presented constantly as a comedy film and I believe heading into it that is what a lot of audiences would have experienced, but it is not what we got at all. The ultimate product was what resembled a slice of life film in which the adoption system in the US was completely examined and unpacked so that the audience had an understanding of what it would be like to live in that circumstance or adopt for themselves. Constantly things like the narrative direction or moments of comedy were abandoned to present and explain what felt like an advertisement for adoption in the States. The effect makes you feel a lot less interested in the film and so the power of their message is completely lost; a film that had focused upon an engaging narrative or characters who had actually been fleshed out for this great cast to perform would have been a much more effective method of delivery. The cinematography is exceedingly dull, the same stock-standard shots are repeated from scene to scene and there's no effort made to make this film look unique. The pacing was achingly slow and the editing didn't aid this at all, setting a sluggish pace throughout. The soundtrack is almost immediately forgettable, scenes feel completely toneless at times and the backing score does nothing to lift this up.

Gustavo Quiroz, who played Juan, is the sort of over the top idiotic kid role that does not work in comedies; the type of role that is always getting hit in the head or falling down isn't particularly funny or well done. Margo Martindale, who played Grandma Sandy, just pushes her over the top role way too far in every scene; Martindale has been doing this for a lot of her roles for a very long time now and I just sort of expect it at this point. Julie Hagerty, who played Jan, is just an odd performance that makes little to no sense; bad enough Hagerty's character seems to just make humour stemming from racism but the actress herself does not feel naturally suited to comedy. Joan Cusack, who played Mrs Howard. is this neighbourly role who awkwardly is inserted somewhere in the third act for no reason; Cusack takes this nice genuine scene that could have really made the film and tears it apart. Joselin Reyes, who played Carla, is such a bland performance that is really just there to further the plot more than anything; Reyes' role barely seems present and it is hard to picture her in any way a mother to the children characters. John McConnell and Maureen Brennan, who played Mr Muskie and Mrs Muskie respectively, just seem like the butt of some easy jokes in this film; these roles are just gross and set a pretty low bar for the feature. Nicholas Logan, who played Jacob, is quite the generic bad boy role who is immediately scummy upon introduction; Logan plays the role right to the stereotype and doesn't set out to actually achieve anything better.

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

This review may contain spoilers!

I found the second How To Train Your Dragon a bit of a dip in the series but The Hidden World rounds the trilogy off very well. I would give How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World an 8.5/10.

This final film in the trilogy depicts Berk as a thriving dragon settlement lead by our young hero, Hiccup, who must decide what to do when dragons and villagers alike are faced with the threat of dragon hunter, Grimmel. As far as adventures go this one shows a really gripping display of action, with the flaming swords and dragonmail armour adding to the aesthetic of some very colourful actions sequences. Yet as always what rests at the heart of this film is the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless; both struggling with the idea that their worlds could very well change. Hiccup has to think about his wider responsibilities as Chief and marriage with Astrid; the struggles Hiccup faces are contrasted very well with flashbacks to Stoick exploring some of his own challenges with a younger Hiccup. Toothless also realises that there is a dragon world and a love for himself out there, his choice is whether or not he answers the call to that 'Hidden World'. Ultimately it's a film about letting go and saying goodbye for all the best reasons, that might seem sad but really it isn't. The Hidden World promises an optimistic future, a way forward and that final scene grounds everything perfectly. The animation style looks excellent, especially their background imagery and the unique designs for some of the new dragons. The score really sends you upon the adventure, hitting all the high notes and kicking into a strong energetic fanfare.

Jay Baruchel, who voiced Hiccup, has consistently proven himself to be the perfect casting choice for the lead of this series; Baruchel doesn't necessarily sound like the obvious Viking leader which only ever means he works just as hard as his character to prove the cunning and heart within his role. America Ferrera, who voiced Astrid, is the more resolute, strong Viking we've come to expect; Ferrera crafts a role who is self-assured and firm when Hiccup needs aid in leading the village. F. Murray Abraham, who voiced Grimmel, is a very calculating and severe antagonist; Abraham focuses on making a villain who is intellectually superior to his foes in many ways and has no qualms of torturing or sacrificing his own dragons or troops to achieve his ends. Craig Ferguson, who voiced Gobber, is quite comedically slow to progress at the same speed as Hiccup and his young dragon rider brigade; this is a role that is remarkably wise while also bumbling his way through a campground of dragons. Kristen Wiig, who voiced Ruffnut, really gets some time to shine in this film and she nails it; Wiig's monologues while imprisoned by the antagonist show her strength as a comedic performer while also making for one of the most memorable scenes of the film.

However, the best performance came from Gerard Butler and AJ Kane, who voiced Stoick and Young Hiccup respectively. The flashback scenes that pepper this film showing the relationship between these two at an earlier time highlights the strongest element of this series. Hiccup has always struggled to find his place to fit in and as a Chief, he feels this tenfold; yet Kane does an exemplary job at taking us back and showing the initial ways in which Hiccup stood apart from his village. At the same time having Butler back to voice some of Stoick's trepidation and uneasiness is powerful too. We get to see the father/son dynamic in a whole new light and the similarities that become evident are pretty powerful in relation to the narrative.

The Hidden World does suffer from some of the same mistakes past How To Train Your Dragon films have made; one of the key ones being that Hiccup's crew of side character friends don't add a whole lot to the plot and tend to be cast in irrelevant subplots. Moments like a newly 'bearded' Tuffnut giving marriage advice, Fishlegs mothering over a baby dragon or the awkward love triangle between Valka, Snotlout and Eret don't actually serve any purpose and create empty screen time. The introduction of the Light Fury has a similar effect as the lengthy silent romance sequences tend to cut into the run time significantly. The antagonist of Grimmel, while performed brilliantly by Abraham, doesn't have motivations that make him differ all that much from those in the previous films.

Cate Blanchett, who voiced Valka, is woefully underused and wasted in some boring love triangle subplot; Blanchett sounds bored by her role and really you can't blame her. Jonah Hill, who voiced Snotlout, has been one of the more obnoxious performances in each of the How To Train Your Dragon films and the streak continues here; it is frustrating because you don't feel like the role has grown or changed at all over the course of the trilogy. Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who voiced Fishlegs, is a very quiet presence in the film and there were numerous occasions that I almost forgot he was there; It was clear that he was back for the purpose of consistency rather than for purpose itself. Kit Harington, who voiced Eret, has quite a bland voice when it comes to animated features; Harington's monotonous tone makes for a boring, forgettable character. Justin Rupple, who voiced Tuffnut, is very good at imitating TJ Miller but doesn't spend time crafting much personality to his role nor making him very funny; Rupple is given extensive screen time but it is clearly a little too much for the extent of the role.

The Best And Worst Films Of 2018

2018 was the year that set out by promising a significant number of blockbusters and major films, there were some high demands that many were anticipating. Unfortunately, the year failed to deliver as strongly as 2017 despite some obvious hits along the way. Last year I talked a little about blockbusters being cranked out at an alarming rate resulting in a cost to quality in exchange for quantity. I firmly believe this problem persists but I thought I might talk a bit about my favourite genre, the superhero film. This year brought forth one of the biggest superhero events yet with Avengers: Infinity War and a surprising contender in WB's Aquaman; yet some of the other features were strongly indicative of an industry content with simply making a film to fit the trend as opposed to creating something significant. Marvel's Black Panther struggled with a director clearly not accustomed to working on a large production with plotlines piecemealed from other famous storylines and little to call its own. Sony's Venom tried to break the mould with a darker hero yet didn't quite have the confidence to create a unique entry which set it back hugely. Even Fox's Deadpool 2 was plagued by a serious case of sequel-itis, right down to a significant element of the plot revolving around a child-figure the hero feels responsible for. I guess what I'm trying to point out is that I love watching the superhero genre make itself known but it's sad to see it being treated as a cash cow trend rather than a space to be testing the boundaries and experimenting with new ideas and content.

I found myself watching a lot less this year which meant I made a point of really selecting a feature each week. I found myself shocked by some favourite directors or studios letting themselves down and at other times there were some moments where I left the cinema completely surprised by how great of an experience some of these titles were. Last year the trends within my top 25 seemed rather evident but this year there is a very mixed bag. However, I find it worth noting the number of sequels that have made their way into my upper margin - proving just how much the way in which we view cinema has begun to change now. Sequels are beginning to shape up to be extremely worthy by their own right. Well without further ado allow me to break down exactly where the best and worst wound up...

The Best:

5. Mile 22 - 8.5/10

This is one of the only thrillers to really make it into my top five placing and it is certainly one of the bigger surprises on the list. Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg have been partnering up for a little while now and making some solid features, this one has to be right up there for me. Watching events play out as the protagonists hoof a target through 22 miles of foreign soil to an exfiltration site is nerve-wracking and tense, completely capturing everything a modern black ops feature could ask for. Every step of the way the danger feels real and any character onscreen could reveal themselves to be a threat. Mark Wahlberg strongly leads the production with a stern demeanour and a character unafraid of going off the reservation. His onscreen co-stars are absolutely brilliant; Lauren Cohan making a strong supporting lead, John Malkovich adding an air of finesse to the feature and even Ronda Rousey doing a great job.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/09/mile-22.html

4. Solo: A Star Wars Story - 9/10

If you keep up with film news you'll know that a lot of people slept on this controversial Star Wars spinoff. Mired with a lack of demand from fans, scepticism after Episode VIII and the exit of the original directors halfway through production this film should have been a mess to watch. However, what was delivered was a fresh take on Star Wars, a narrative that felt like it was setting out to define itself while still paying tribute to all that had come before it. Watching Ehrenreich as a young Han Solo was stellar and seeing him take on the smuggler role and become the iconic character we wanted to see was fairly moving. Solo has all the narrative twists and turns of a heist film, the comedy to boot and the impressive visuals of a sci-fi epic. Plus they had the nerve to bring back Darth Maul, those geniuses...

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/05/solo-star-wars-story.html

3. Incredibles 2 - 9/10

I've often had a special place in my heart for animated films, yet not a single animated feature has been on my top 5 since 2014. Yet there's no denying that there was a certain kind of magic watching the Incredibles return to the big screen. For years growing up, the first Incredibles was probably my favourite animated film; it toted a narrative that really hooks you in as a kid but I found there was always something new to appreciate the older I got. This sequel doesn't just recapture the spark, it celebrates the revitalisation of the superhero genre in a way no other film has really done. It was a special treat listening to the old voice cast reprise their roles and come back to be the superfamily we know and love.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/07/incredibles-2.html

2. Aquaman - 9/10

Last year I remember the dull experience that was Justice League, I felt certain that once Aquaman fizzled out too that that would be the end of the DC cinematic universe. So much for that assumption. Aquaman didn't set out to play things safe, nor did it go the gritty and grim tone that has plagued the DCEU. What I loved about Aquaman was that it felt fresh and creative, visually it was nothing short of gorgeous and the narrative was a fun, thrilling ride. The cast for this film all put in a stellar job and I can hope more of the same to come from DC and Warner Brothers. It's about time.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2019/02/aquaman.html

1. Avengers: Infinity War - 9.5/10

This particular film is a cinematic event that has been ten years in the making, with a number of films crafting characters and events that have all lived up to this moment. If Infinity War hadn't been the best film of last year I would have been devastated. Yet Infinity War proves to be worthy of the hype constantly, pairing up characters you never expected to see together or having an epic revelation play out in exactly the right place. Marvel Studios put so much effort into making sure this would fit the universe they had crafted and be true to the fans' expectations and they really delivered. Plus watching such an epic feature build to the antagonist defeating the heroes? What a stunning move.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/04/avengers-infinity-war.html

Last year really toted some major event films and also some surprise contenders for my top five. However, as I noted earlier, there was a slight increase in lower ranked features and 2018's bottom five is a particular mix of bad eggs. Let's delve right in:

5. Holmes And Watson - 2/10

I get why people like to watch John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell together, but unfortunately, as their careers have progressed Reilly has made some great choices and Ferrell's sense of comedy has not changed with the times. Quite simply put these two together isn't really a sure thing anymore. Watching a spoof comedy in which the characters of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are vaguely imitated in the hopes of a laugh was painful to watch. It does not matter how impressive your cast may be a spoof film tends to be the lowest form of wit in cinema and this is a perfect example of that. Holmes and Watson is confused, impossible to laugh at and yet another death knell in Ferrell's lacklustre recent career.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/12/holmes-and-watson.html

4. The House With A Clock In Its Walls - 1.5/10

Last year I was overjoyed with just how far family films had come, it almost seemed like we were on the verge of the genre coming back in a big way. Then along came 2018...At first, the idea of a young kid coming to live with a warlock played by Jack Black seemed like a safe Halloween film, it was probably going to be fun and Jack Black had already surprised me in the first Goosebumps film. While Goosebumps might have fluked an alright film, The House With A Clock In Its Walls proved to be as dumb as its title. Owen Vaccaro is a child performer who constantly seems to be out to tear this film down around him and Jack Black is a serious miscast; I'm still getting that scene in which Jack Black's head is CGI'd onto a baby's body scrubbed from my brain. There is just no understanding how Cate Blanchett even wound up attached to this film, every scene with her was a saving grace.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-house-with-clock-in-its-walls.html

3. The Darkest Minds - 1/10

I said it in the review I'll say it here too: The young adult dystopian film is dead, we're done with them now. This film spends more time trying to explain itself and what's going on than actually trust the audience to experience what they're creating. The narrative has no flavour, it's a bland generic world that does little different from anything that has come before it in the genre. This film seems so trapped in the past that it even gives the old angst-ridden romance sub-plot a go; a significant aspect that is downright painful to watch. The cast is just as boring as the script and I genuinely don't think they screen test the co-stars alongside one another at the casting stage. YA dystopia RIP.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-darkest-minds.html

2. Fifty Shades Freed - 1/10

At least we won't be getting another one of these awful Fifty Shades films, I honestly am surprised they managed to slog through the whole series. After watching this series get adapted to screen and each year hover around the lower features of the year it makes sense to finally have a Fifty Shades make bottom billing where it belongs. At this point, the story is confusing and takes itself to extremes that feel over the top and poorly written. None of the cast has had much chemistry for a while now but it's clear that most of them are just as excited as the rest of us for these films to be over. I hope they're happier now.

https://ciaranknight.blogspot.com/2018/02/fifty-shades-freed.html

1. The Breaker Upperers - 1/10

In 2017 Gary Of The Pacific was the worst film I watched all year, in 2018 I have to suffer through another nonsense New Zealand comedy. The problem with The Breaker Upperers is quite simply this, the main characters are painfully narcissistic and never learn or grow from their experiences. Maybe that would be fine if they could at least manage to be funny but sitting through this film felt more like a chore than anything else. The entire time I was struggling to work out who this film was actually for because it seemed to change it's intended audience a couple of times. I'm tired of watching my home nation make abysmal cinema, we're so distracted trying to make easy Kiwiana humour that we've lost sight of the fact that there are actually real stories that can be told from our culture and history. I look forward to seeing if New Zealand cinema will ever recognise that.

I have reviewed 59 films over the course of this year and it has been a really varied experience, I'm honestly excited to see if 2019 can step things back up. If you want to see where the big features or your own personal favourites wound up, take a look below and as always if you have your own top five I'd love to hear about it!

1. Avengers: Infinity War – 9.5/10
2. Aquaman – 9/10
3. Incredibles 2 – 9/10
4. Solo: A Star Wars Story – 9/10
5. Mile 22 – 8.5/10
6. A Quiet Place – 8.5/10
7. Sicario: Day Of The Soldado – 8.5/10
8. Bumblebee – 8.5/10
9. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – 8.5/10
10. Mission Impossible: Fallout – 8/10
11. The Shape Of Water – 8/10
12. The Equalizer 2 – 8/10
13. Smallfoot – 8/10
14. Bohemian Rhapsody – 8/10
15. Pitch Perfect 3 – 8/10
16. Ready Player One – 7.5/10
17. Tag – 7.5/10
18. Ant-Man And The Wasp – 7.5/10
19. Maze Runner: The Death Cure – 7.5/10
20. Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 – 7.5/10
21. Hunter Killer – 7.5/10
22. King Of Thieves – 7.5/10
23. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies – 7.5/10
24. The Happytime Murders – 7.5/10
25. Deadpool 2 – 7/10
26. Johnny English Strikes Again – 7/10
27. All The Money In The World – 6.5/10
28. The Post – 6.5/10
29. Venom – 6.5/10
30. Bad Times At The El Royale – 6.5/10
31. Mortal Engines – 6.5/10
32. Overlord – 6.5/10
33. Vice – 6/10
34. Molly’s Game – 6/10
35. Upgrade – 6/10
36. Robin Hood – 5.5/10
37. Ocean’s 8 – 5.5/10
38. The Nun – 5.5/10
39. Red Sparrow – 4.5/10
40. I Feel Pretty – 4.5/10
41. Pacific Rim: Uprising – 4.5/10
42. Black Panther – 4/10
43. Tomb Raider – 4/10
44. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald – 4/10
45. The Spy Who Dumped Me – 4/10
46. Skyscraper – 4/10
47. Widows – 4/10
48. Game Night – 3.5/10
49. Life Of The Party – 3.5/10
50. A Wrinkle In Time – 3.5/10
51. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – 3/10
52. Rampage – 3/10
53. The Predator – 3/10
54. Death Wish – 2.5/10
55. Holmes And Watson – 2/10
56. The House With A Clock In Its Walls – 1.5/10
57. The Darkest Minds – 1/10
58. Fifty Shades Freed – 1/10
59. The Breaker Upperers – 1/10

Aquaman

This review may contain spoilers!

I gave up on DC Comics films almost completely, but this is a film that completely surpasses expectations in every way. I would give Aquaman a 9/10.

This is such a fresh spin on the superhero genre that it draws you in almost immediately, for a long time we've been able to point at one source for quality superhero entertainment and now DC is firmly in the action. Aquaman follows the adventure of Arthur Curry as he comes to accept the responsibilities of his Atlantean heritage and prevent his half-brother, Orm, from destroying the surface world. Aquaman was already established as a standout role in Justice League due to how relatable he was, Arthur feels like someone who understands he has power but doesn't fully accept the ramifications of what that means. Arthur has to learn the significance of not just being from the surface world but what it means to come from the royal Atlantean bloodline and rule. This film really separates itself from past superhero origin/standalone films because it dares to be big even if the focus is upon one character. There is an expansive world on offer undersea and plenty of time is given to exploring history and settings both visually and within the narrative. Even as the film builds towards the climax there is such effort put in to make the underwater war feel grand in scale and altogether impressive. The cinematography boasts exquisite wide shots that flaunt the impressive visual effects and action sequences; you always feel plunged into motion at exactly the right instances too, with the camerawork immersing you into the action. The score is an epic soundscape that sets the adrenaline pumping and manages to mark some truly iconic moments; my personal favourite was listening to Mera's theme which set her apart from the rest of the main cast in a lot of ways.

Amber Heard, who played Mera, is a role that is left to explain a lot about the story and Atlantis and in Heard's hands it feels absolutely enchanting to listen to; this is a character who has a stern determination and carries her own just as much as Mamoa onscreen. Willem Dafoe, who played Vulko, had this calm serene air that made him perfect as the royal advisor; Dafoe did really well at playing a character who was passionate about the betterment of his people and who was a master at manipulating to achieve his ends. Patrick Wilson, who played King Orm, was a radical tyrant who seemed spurred towards war and violence; Wilson made this role his own by making his antagonist seem rather rational in his motives and means of conquest. Nicole Kidman, who played Atlanna, gives a very comedic introduction to the Atlantean characters with a very literal fish out of water scene; however, Kidman's compassionate and kind motherly role was anything but stereotypical and one hundred percent more kickass than any other mother role in a superhero film. Dolph Lundgren, who played King Nereus, presented the gravitas of a royal role; Lundgren did a very good job of outwardly showing a reluctant alliance with Wilson's Orm but secretly harbouring an alignment in motives. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who played Manta, crafted a strong antagonist fuelled by a need for venegeance and blood; Abdul-Mateen shows a strong bond with his onscreen father (Beach) and the emotional scene in which son has to leave father to die is one to remember. Temuera Morrison, who played Tom Curry, has a very casual, light-hearted relationship with Mamoa; in a similar way to Mamoa, Morrison uses his cultural background to inform and develop his role in a rich manner. Muchael Beach, who played Jesse, was a very calculating and cunning minor antagonist; Beach developed a role who thought his actions through in sharp contrast to his onscreen son. Julie Andrews, who voiced Karathen, really embodies the ancient strength and power in the creature she plays; the confrontation between her and Mamoa feels charged with power and significance due to Andrews' contribution.

However, the best performance came from Jason Momoa, who played Arthur. Whatever your opinion of Justice League might have been it was very clear that Mamoa's Aquaman was a stand out role and I was really excited to see what he could deliver as a leading role. Mamoa kicks into this role with an incredible display of confidence and bravado that you are immediately thrilled, he manages to embody the sheer display of power a superhuman possesses in his performance alone. The character of Arthur is very much dedicated to being a hero but he is reluctant to embrace his Atlantean heritage and it's interesting to see this degree of indifference evolve into a sense of responsibility. Ultimately Mamoa shows an impressive amount of charisma any time he is onscreen and the way in which he interweaves his Pasifika heritage into the character shows that Mamoa is dedicated to crafting a character all his own.

This film has a rather poorly paced second act, chiefly noteworthy because just as it appears the second act is nearing its end and our heroes are escaping Atlantis they are then sent into a large treasure hunt plot. This sits uncomfortably before the third act yet is probably an extra half an hour of run time. The soundtrack for the filmseriously contrasts the exquisite score, putting a Pitbull song right in the middle of an admittedly decent blockbuster is nothing shy of disappointing.

Randall Park, who played Dr Stephen Shin, is really only in this film to sow the seeds for a sequel and it shows rather explicitly; Park's obtrusive tv interview scenes continuously interrupt the tone of the film. Kaan Guldur, Otis Dhanji and Kekoa Kekumano, who played Young Arthur (Nine Years Old), Young Arthur (Thirteen Years Old) and Young Arthur (Sixteen Years Old) respectively, each present a rather wooden and generic performance that isn't uncommon from younger performers; Kekumano in particular leaves Dafoe to carry him through their scene together.